Playing the Game: Family Reunion
by Hester Daemia Byrde
Summary: This is just a fun little fanfic I wrote awhile back. It's set in the era of the Marauders and is a bit of a Mary-sue. Lots of adventure and maybe even a little snogging if someone gets daring... who knows? Chapter 14 is UP!
1. Default Chapter

Playing the Game A/N: Alright, my loves. I've spent quite a bit of time away from the fanfiction world but I thought that I would blow the dust off of this old classic. This is an old fanfic that I posted ages ago, before I could really do any decent writing so I never finished posting it. I have had a few requests from my friends that I edit and fluff it back up for posting.  
I just have a few notes before we dive in.  
Some of these chapters will be a bit like song fics, as almost all of this story was inspired by music. I'll be sure to give credit where credit is due of course. Please please please send me feedback on how this is sounding and tell me if you catch any discrepancies or mistakes. When I started writing this fic, I hadn't even finished reading Book 4 so there might be some minor quirks. It's a bit of a Mary-Sue, just to warn you, but I hope you can excuse that and enjoy the fic.  
Disclaimers: I do not own anything you recognize. As for what you don't... Satsobek Malinza and her family, as well as Heket the falcon all belong to me. ::Puffs up:: Mine I tell you! Mine!  
Rating: It will be mostly PG to PG-13 through out this story. It's mostly for rather adult themes. Satsa is a bit of a seductress. There is the occasional snog as well as a random stream of explicit cursing here and there. There might even be a little blood... who knows? So now that the formalities are out of the way... on with the show!

Chapter 1: Good News  
The pits of an archeological dig marred the sandstone surrounding the step pyramid of Saqqara. A dark figure sat in one of these cavities crouched over something she was scratching out of the stone. Her black working dress pooled around her, its hem occasionally fluttering in the dry breeze. Her raven dark hair blended almost exactly with the dress, making it almost impossible to determine where her tresses ended and the material began.  
Suddenly, she turned her coal black eyes towards the west where the sun was balancing on the edge of the horizon. She could have sworn she heard the flutter of tiny wings but out here in the middle of the desert? Surely that post owl hadn't flown all the way to London and back that quickly.  
She shook her dark hair out of her face and looked back down at her work in the floor of the pit. She had the lower jaw and left orbital socket of a bleached skull scraped out of the rock. Perhaps it was time she left the dig for today. It would be here tomorrow of course. She had seen many a wondrous thing in these ancient lands but she had yet to see the dead get out of their graves and scamper away from a dig. She covered the fragile bones with a thick canvas blanket and gathered up her notebooks, before climbing out of the shallow pit.  
The girl, who appeared to be no older than fifteen, made her way around the step pyramid toward camp, taking time to admire the fiery sunset as she went. She was tall for her age but not intimidatingly so. Her slender, but shapely form was silhouetted by golden sun as it sank below the sandy horizon. Her dark skin seemed to glow in the dying light but her eyes gathered none of the warmth as she was thinking about how close the end of the digging season was.  
She knew in just a few short weeks, school would be starting and she wasn't looking forward to it in the least. For the past four years she had attended Durmstrang and while she was not in want of friends there, the journey to the institute was a long one and the climate change took forever to get used to if she ever got used to it at all. Not to mention no one could pronounce her name, not even the teachers. She couldn't count the number of times she had corrected Professor Wilczek's pronunciation.  
"Sat-so-bek"  
"Saat-suh-beka"  
"No! Sat-Long 'a'. So-as in 'so what'. Beck- like in Rebecca"  
"Sate-soo-beak"  
"Call me Satsa"  
She sighed heavily as she climbed up the first step of the pyramid to watch the sun sink below the dunes, as she always loved to do before heading down to camp for dinner. She had sent an application of transfer to the British Ministry of Magic, hoping she could attend Hogwarts rather than Durmstrang in the following year. Satsobek had the distinct feeling that since she had only sent it last week and the start of term would be starting in less than a month, her request would be denied.  
Satsa reached down and lifted a gold cat pendent on a leather cord from the gauzy folds of her dress. She stared at it, watching the golden light dance on its surface. Thinking of Hogwarts made her think of her mother. Her mother, Syah, had attended Hogwarts for her magical training and achieved the highest marks of her class, having been in Ravenclaw house. She had been inexplicably murdered only a year before Satsa had started school and this cat pendant was all Satsobek had to remember her mother by. She had given it to her only a few days before her death. Satsa had never known or wanted to know anything about her father, save that he claimed to be of pure wizard descent. She let the cat fall back down around her neck as she watched the sun disappear below the dunes. She started to slide off the step when she heard it again, the flutter of wings, coming from behind her. She shoved herself down and turned to see was it was.  
There, on the second step, was a stately barn owl. It hooted loudly and fluttered down to the next step, where Satsobek had been sitting. Satsobek looked down to its claws and saw that a letter was tied to its ankles. She reached out slowly, scars on her arms betraying her experience with desert falcon talons, and retrieved the letter.  
Satsobek Malinza First Step, Western Slope Pyramid at Saqqara Egypt She blinked up at the owl, which was scratching at the sandy stone with a clawed foot as though it were waiting on her. Satsa then opened the letter, trying not to shred the envelope.  
Dear Miss Malinza,  
We, the British Ministry of Magic, are pleased to inform you that you are invited to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as an exchange student rather than return to Durmstrang. Hogwarts will be admitting you as a fifth year, as you have satisfactory marks in all your subjects in previous years. The enclosed parchment contains your school supply list as well as instructions concerning your arrival at Hogwarts.  
Cordially,  
Christophe Jenkins British Ministry Satsobek's face blossomed into a smile as she continued on to the second piece of parchment, which was her supply list and instructions. As she began to read the little own fluttered over and landed on Satsa's shoulder as if to read the parchment over her shoulder.  
Books-  
Potions and Notions By Camilla Crackle Transfigurations - Year 5 By Kenneth Marks Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5By Bathilda Bagshot Defense Against the Dark Arts - Year 5By Jacob Mander Unfogging the Future By Cassandra Vlatsky Astronomy - Year 2 By Iris Krawler Hogwarts - A History Other Supplies British issue wand Hogwarts work robes (black standard)  
Plain black hat Advanced potions supplies Standard telescope Brass scales and cauldron (pewter, size five)  
Parchment, quills, and ink An animal (owl, cat, toad, ect)  
Dress robes We have received word in your transcripts that you are entering your second year as an Animagus. After the Sorting and Feast, proceed to Professor Dumbledore's office for further instructions regarding this.  
You are to board the Knight Bus in two weeks, on Sunday, August 28th bound for King's Cross Station in London, where you will be greeted by a group of our students. I look forward to meeting you in a few weeks.

The parchment was signed by the deputy Headmistress, M. McGonagall.  
Satsobek's stomach lurched with excitement. She quickly tore a piece of paper from her notebook and began to scribble a response in the dimming light.  
Dear Headmistress,  
I am delighted to be accepted to Hogwarts. I am looking forward to meeting you and furthering my educational pursuits.  
Satsobek Malinza 

Satsa attached the message to the owl's leg with the string from the letter from the British Ministry and sent it off. She hoped the owl knew where it was going as she watched it soar into the slowly darkening sky. Even if it didn't it wasn't terribly important.  
A cool puff of breeze from the east signaled that it was time to head back to camp.  
"Heket!" Satsa called out suddenly as she gathered up her things and began to make the walk back to camp. A desert falcon swooped down silently from the apex of the pyramid and landed on Satsobek's shoulder as she strode briskly across the cooling sand. She couldn't wait to tell her sister the news. She had wanted Satsa to attend Hogwarts as well. She would be proud even though she was a Squib, which was a fact that had been kept under tight wraps. Satsobek and her entire family had always prided themselves on their incredible magical power. Satsobek herself was studying to be an Animagus and she had already performed many transformations. She knew her family's power was derived from pure blood going back generations. It had always been a great mystery to the family why Satsobek's sister was a Squib. No one really knew. 


	2. The Shorter Journey

A/N: Greetings all! I hope the first chapter was to you liking and that this one will be as well. As I've said before... I was writing this fic LONG before there was a fifth book so please forgive any discrepancies between this and the fifth installment of the series. I'm doing my best to fix things as I catch them but I have a feeling that there will be some things just can't be helped. I'm still working on getting the formatting to work on so that the layout of the chapters looks a little better... any help on this would be much appreciated.

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize. Satsa is mine... so no using without my permission.

Rating: PG...

Chapter 2: The Shorter Journey

Satsobek was beginning to feel sleepy as the road rumbled by beneath her. She had no idea where they were or how long she had been on this stupid bus since she had dozed off five or six times. She pushed herself up from lying flat on her back on the bed she had been given and looked out the second story window. The sun's white-gold face could be seen peeking over the edge of the dark horizon, spraying streamers of light over the gloomy clouds. That meant she had been riding on this bus all night. Were they ever going to get there? This is almost as bad as the trip to Durmstrang!

Satsa drifted off to sleep again, for how long she didn't know. Suddenly the bus' brakes screamed and screeched them to a stop. Satsa had to hold tight to the brass bedpost to keep herself from being thrown off into the floor. She sat up, breathing rather heavily, smoothing her hair and robes as she rose.

Heavy footsteps tromped up the stairs to the second level of the bus. "This is it!" The driver called up to her. "King's Cross Station!" Satsobek gave her hair one last good fluffing before she climbed down the stairs and strode off the bus. The driver was already off and pulling her luggage from the undercarriage. He waved goodbye before climbing back onto the bus. With a bang, reminiscent of a gunshot, the bright purple bus was gone. Heket gave an irritated hiss from within her cage. Satsobek smiled down at her before she turned to the crowds of people oozing in and out of the station. No one seemed to be of a magical sort. There wasn't a robe or wand or broom in sight, but then again there wouldn't be. She could feel the oppression of Muggles everywhere. Surely she was here at the right time. She turned around and knelt beside her trunk and began to rummage for her letter from the Headmistress. Someone tapped her on the shoulder and she whirled around to find herself face to face four of the best looking guys she had ever seen. The one on the far right had light brown hair, neatly trimmed and a broad grin on his face. To his left was a shorter boy with disheveled black hair and glasses. To his right was an even shorter young man, who was a little pudgy around his middle. Satsa's gaze lingered on the boy on the far left, however. Despite his hooked nose and long greasy black hair there was something about him that screamed "Damn good looking." All four were dressed in Muggle clothes.

The sight of Satsobek wiped the warm, welcoming grins off all their faces and they stared at her as though she were the first girl they had ever seen. Satsobek was used to this, though and bestowed upon them a luscious, albeit bemused, smile. Men always seemed absolutely smitten by her, almost to the point of being ridiculous.

"Hello." Satsobek said, her voice smooth and low.

"Hi! UmSSaaat-stss..obS" the boy with the wild black hair stammered as he stared at a piece of parchment he was carrying. Probably had instructions pertaining to her greeting, Satsa mused.

"Satsobek." She said quickly as she snatched the parchment away from him in a motion so quick that three of her four escorts jumped. The one on the far left merely smiled an impressed smile. "Satsobek Malinza, but you can call me Satsa." She looked down at the parchment. "They actually spelled myname right. You have no idea how rare that is. Oh this is a school supply list! Good. I packed mine in my trunk." She handed the list back to the boy standing in the middle. "And you all are?"

"I'm Remus Lupin." Replied the one with brown hair, his smile returning.

"P-peter. I'm P-peter P-pettigrew." The rather rotund boy said shakily, jamming his hands in the pockets of his pants.

"Severus Snape." Said the young man on the far left in a thin but mature voice. He inclined his head to her slightly.

"The pleasure is mine." Satsa replied with a soft smile. She was liking him more and more every minute.

"And I am James Potter." The shorter boy with glasses stuck out his hand,  
smiling broadly. Satsa smiled as she took his hand, giving it a little caress as she shook it. He seemed totally unfazed. She noticed Severus giving James a most unsavory glance.  
"We are your escort to the Hogwarts castle, where you'll be greeted by the Headmaster and Headmistress and instructed on where you can purchase your supplies.." Severus informed her.

"Excellent. How will we be arriving?" Satsa asked in her sweetest voice.

"By train... The Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 and three quarters"

Satsa's lovely face molded into a frown.

James elbowed her jovially. "You'll see." He said with a bright smile. "Remus, how about grabbing us a trolley mate"

Peter nodded quickly, seemingly happy to be assigned a task, and scurried off. He returned with haste and the boys loaded her trunk onto the trolley. The boys gawked at Heket in her cage as Satsa unstrapped her from the trunk and carried her through the station.

Satsa was impressed by all the measures taken to keep the train a secret. There were never such obvious measures taken at Durmstrang. It's distance from civilization and unplottablility were security enough.

On the train ride to school, James and Remus spun tales about their previous years at Hogwarts. None laughed at their antics harder than Peter. Severus would only scowl, especially if their stories involved the breaking of school rules.

The brakes of the train began to whine as they came to a halt in a tiny village. The boys waved her ahead, saying they would take care of her luggage and her bird, which hissed at Peter when he went to pick her cage up. Satsa suggested that Severus carry Heket so Peter didn't get himself scratched or bitten, much to Peter's obvious relief. Satsa bid them good day, her eyes lingering on Severus long enough for him to see her smile before she slid out of the compartment.

The air out on the platform was warm unlike it would have been at Durmstrang. Waiting for her a few feet away were three figures. An elderly man and woman, both dressed in rather lavish robes, stood together with welcoming smiles on their faces. A young man in non-descript Muggle clothes sat on a bench to their left, and looked up when she stepped onto the platform.

Satsa couldn't linger on him too long because the man began to approach her, his arms held out in a welcoming way. "Satsobek Malinza." He said, not letting a syllable trouble him. That made Satsa smile. "Welcome. Welcome to Hogwarts... well to Hogsmeade village at least. I am Headmaster Albus Dumbledore"

"Hello, Headmaster." Satsa said with warm respect, offering her hand which he took with a lively smile on his lined face.

Dumbledore motioned for the lady to step forward. "This is our Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall." Satsa shook hands with her as well.

"I think we'll save the grand tour of the castle for another day." Dumbledore said. "I think these gentlemen will see to it your belongings are settled in the castle." He indicated to Satsa's companions who had exited the train behind her with her belongings in tow. She turned to see them smile and nod before gathering her things. Severus nodded to her with a thin smile, raising Heket's cage for Satsa to see. She nodded in return before turning back to the Headmaster. "I believe you are lacking your supplies"  
Satsa nodded in reply.

"I have arranged an escort for you to go to Diagon Alley in London to procure what you will require for the coming year." He beckoned to the young man who still sat on the bench behind him. "This is another one of your fellow students, Sirius Black. I have called him to school early to make up for an 'accident' he caused during his potions exam last year." Dumbledore informed her as he approached.

Satsa tried to keep her expression dignified, as she looked Sirius over. "What exactly did he do, if I might know"

"Why don't you get him to tell you." McGonagall suggested.

Satsa merely quirked an eyebrow as Sirius scratched a nervous itch. "I blew up, Severus Snape's cauldron"

"How awful of you! On purpose"

"Oh no... completely by accident." Sirius stammered out.

"I'm sorry to give you such a rag tag escort. I would take you myself but there is business to attend to, seeing as school is so soon to start"

"Oh I think I'll make do with what I have." Satsa replied, playfully eyeing Sirius in his baggy Muggle clothes and dischevled hair. "Thank you for the warm welcome Headmaster and Headmistress"

"See you at the Sorting Feast!" Dumbledore called to her, before he and the Headmistress turned to leave the platform.

"We'll be taking the train back to London to get your supplies so lets climb aboard! The day's a wasting!" Sirius said, motioning to the shiny scarlet engine and they climbed aboard.


	3. Diagon Alley Cat

A/N: Alrighty! Round three... still working out the bugs of the format. If anyone knows what I'm doing wrong and how to fix it please let me know so I can make these stories look a little better. Also please send me reviews... and be patient. This story takes a little while to get going. The first few chapters are just rambling.

Disclaimer: I own Satsa... and nothing else. Oh and Gaia Ravyn Myles gets credit for a quote of Sirius' in this chapter. Gaia, you'll know which one. Strap yourselves in and away we go!

Chapter 3: Diagon Alley

There was a pause as Satsa frowned and looked around the alleyway behind the Leaky Cauldron. "Where are we?" she asked.

"Door to Diagon Alley." Sirius answered as he stepped up to a brick wall. Then he did something that could only be described as counting bricks. "Three up and two over the dustbins." He said softly. He took out his wand and tapped the brick. The wall peeled open to form a tunnel out onto a cobblestone street where dozens of witches and wizards milled about.

"Interesting." Was all Satsobek said. She really felt like saying, "Bloody hell!" But that just didn't seem proper. She knew that all these safeguarding enchantments would take some getting used to.

"Now," Sirius said, "Let's start off by going to Flourish and Blotts for books. It's the closest to where we are now."

"I have a question." Satsa piped up, as they set off down the street.

"I have an answer. Let's see if they match." Sirius kidded as they rounded a corner, on which a gnarled old wizard was peddling some very odd and arcane looking trinkets.

"I didn't exactly come to this endeavor prepared to buy all my supplies. Your headmaster sort of whisked me off with you before I had a chance to tell him."

Sirius smiled a charming smile. "Not to worry, Satsobek. Professor Dumbledore has you taken care of just like he does all his students." Sirius put a hand on her shoulder and led her inside a dusty bookshop. "All your supplies are ready for us to pick up. We'll take care of purchasing them later."

Once they were inside, Sirius walked off to find the clerk while Satsobek wandered about the store. She felt strange. Her insides were writhing like a pit of cold snakes and it was very unsettling. There was something about Sirius that was making her feel like this. She was normally not as friendly towards guys, especially when she first met them. She really wasn't too warm towards people she knew either. Her life in the desert turned her hard and cold. Having your mother murdered while you were fetching her wand from the other tent did nothing for your trust in people, especially those you didn't know. Her dark beauty had always attracted men to her, even in her youth. She had learned how to play many games with the hearts of the men around her and never feel a twinge of regret. Why did it feel that this was about to change now?

"Oof!"

Satsobek, having been gracelessly lost in thought, had just bumped into a wizard in deep blue robes, causing the books he was carrying to spill out of his arms. "Sorry!" She said hastily. "I wasn't paying attention." She bent to help him gather his books.

"Quite alright, dear." He said, kneeling with her. He glanced up at her and then did a double take, noting her age. "You here to get your school books?"

"Yes, sir, I am." She answered, a frown tugging at her brows.

"Splendid! So you're off to Hogwarts this fall. What are you taking?" He asked.

"Astronomy, Arithmancy, and Divination, along with the basics. I am a fifth year." She replied, handing him the last book.

"Ah! I will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts this year!" He exclaimed. " You'll be studying under me!" He smiled happily, his blue eyes all aglow.

"Well, I suppose I will." Satsa answered respectfully though she didn't sound half as thrilled.

"Oh, forgive me for not introducing myself. I am Nicolae Thorne." He said extending his hand.

"Satsobek Malinza." She said giving him a firm handshake.

"Oh, yes! The exchange student! You're all Dumbledore's been talking about since last week."

"Am I?" Satsa cocked an eyebrow.

"Yes indeed! Not to embarrass you my-" He was cut off by Sirius' arrival.

"This is everything book-wise." He said. "Oh, Satsa. I see you've met Professor Thorne!"

"Hello, Sirius! Nice to see you again!" Thorne clapped his hand on Sirius' shoulder. "You had better watch this one. He can be trouble." Thorne winked at Satsobek.

"I think I can handle him." She said with a cool but playfulsmile. It was all she could do to keep it from waivering when Sirius smiled back at her.

Well, I don't want to keep you two. See you at the Sorting." Thorne said.

"Good bye, Professor!" Sirius said waving.

"So you got everything?" Satsa asked, peering in the huge bag Sirius was toting.

"Yep." He opened it to give her a better view. "Ready to go?"

"If you are." Satsa shrugged and they headed for the exit.

When the pair were out on the street, Sirius posed a strange question. "So what House do you want." He asked.

"Pardon?" Satsobek said, turning a confused stare on him.

"You know, the Houses! Gryffindor, Slytherin..." his voice trailed off as he realized, the higher Satsa's eyebrow arched, the faster he was losing her. "Dumbledore hasn't told you anything about the Sorting?"

"Not that I recall." Satsa said slowly.

"Well, you'll see at the Feast then I suppose." Sirius said with a rather enigmatic grin.

The next shop the pair visited was Ollivander's, the wand shop. It was a cramped little store with walls lined with shelves of dusty, narrow boxes. A thin elderly man was doing some rummaging around behind a counter as they walked in and he looked up when they entered.

"Ah! Sirius Black! Good to see you lad! What, your wand didn't break, did it? Fifteen inches, Unicorn hair and mahogany wasn't it?"

"Yes, that's right but it's in fine condition. An excellent wand sir." Mr.

Ollivander beamed as Sirius went on. "I am here to get a wand for my friend, Satsobek Malinza." Sirius placed his hand on her shoulder. She felt her skin flinch at his touch, which was something that had never happened before. "She is an exchange student at Hogwarts this year"

"Good afternoon, sir." She said, bowing slightly.

"Hello, my dear! You say you need a wand? Well, you've come to the right place so let's see what we can do!" The odd man exclaimed. Satsa wondered if he was perhaps a bit too into his job.

"Your wand arm, please." He said as he unrolled a tape measure. After taking a few measurements, Mr. Ollivander placed a wand in her hand.

"Fourteen and a half inches, unicorn hair, cherry. Slightly bendy and good for charms. Give it a wave, if you please."

Satsobek waved it around. Nothing happened.

"Try this one." He said whisking the other off and giving her a different wand. "Seven inches, phoenix feather in oak, strong but pliable."

Satsa gave this one a wave as well. Nothing still. She glanced over at Sirius who sat in a chair, giving her a lopsided grin. She wondered if he thought she looked stupid, waving a wand around with no apparent effect.

Then she mentally kicked herself for worrying about what someone else thought about her. It had been something she had trained herself not to do.

"Here's a good one." Mr. Ollivander said. "Fourteen inches, dragon heartstring, cedar, slightly bendy." From the moment the wand entered her hand, crimson and silver sparks flew about the room.

"Excellent! We have a winner!" Ollivander cried, pulling the wand from Satsobek's fingers. He placed the wand in its box and wrapped it in brown paper. After Sirius paid for it, the two were off again. Now they were headed to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions.

A bell rang as Satsa and Sirius entered the spacious shop. Madam Malkin could be seen fitting a robe on a blonde-haired girl somewhat younger than Satsa, who was standing on a step stool.

"Oi! Sirius!" The girl cried waving and bouncing on the balls of her feet making it nigh on to impossible for Madam Malkin to pin up the hem of her ruby red robe.

"Miranda! So good to see you!" Sirius said striding towards her, leaving Satsobek standing at the door.

Miranda spread out the skirt of the velvet robe so that Sirius could get a good look. "What do you think, Sirius?"

"You look ravishing darling!" Sirius exclaimed rather dramatically, with a broad smile on his face.

As Sirius and Miranda chatted idly, Satsa drifted about the shop looking at dress robes. She felt the fiery pangs of jealousy stinging at her insides every time she glanced up at the pair. She couldn't recall having ever been jealous before. Why she was feeling the way she was. It was all so different, so new, so-

"Satsa!" Sirius was calling her as the blonde girl stepped off the stool.

"I'm sorry, darling." Sirius said taking her hand, while holding the other girl's hand as well. "Miranda, this is Satsobek Malinza."

"Pleased to meet you." Miranda returned with a dippy bow.

"Charmed." Satsa all but growled at her. Her voice invoked a cold look of suspicion on Miranda's face. It was a look Satsobek loved to induce.

"Well," Miranda sighed, breaking her gaze from Satsa's unfeeling eyes. "My mother is waiting for me in Flourish and Blott's so I'd better go. Nice meeting you Saate-so"

"Satsobek." She snapped cruelly, perhaps a little more cruelly than she had intended.

"Yes. Nice meeting you." And Miranda hurried back to the dressing room to change back into her street clothes.

"Satsobek Malinza." Madam Malkin was already filling out the order form.

"What will it be?"

"She needs the Hogwarts uniform and dress robes for the Yule ball this -" He paused. "Oh bloody hell!" Sirius said abruptly, smacking himself on the forehead.

"I beg your pardon?" Madam Malkin said curtly

"Sorry, Madam." Sirius apologized, quickly.

"What is it?" Satsa asked, turning towards him.

"Its just that I forgot your potions set needs refilling! I'll go back and get it taken care of. I'll be back. I'm sorry." He said, as he backed towards the door.

"It's alright." Satsa said softly, as he did.

With that, Sirius hurried from the shop. As she watched him go, Satsa felt almost sad at his departure and this surprised her. Deep within her cold heart she couldn't deny it-

Something was happening. 


	4. Sorting a Desert Viper

A/N: Hello again! Hope everyone is enjoying this so far... and whether you are or you aren't, please send me feedback. Things start to get a little more interesting in this chapter since it was only a few more chapters in that I finally decided what I was going to do. I'm bad about starting stories that have no plot... blush

Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize... and Satsa and her bird are mine! Mine I tell you!

Chapter Four: Sorting a Desert Viper

Satsobek bounded up the stairs of the entrance hall two at a time, taking care to keep the hem of her robe clear of her feet. Heket, who sat in her usual perch on Satsa's shoulder, was clearly not enjoying the bumpy ride at all, as she was squawking every time she received a jolt. The words "Gryffindor", "Hufflepuff", "Ravenclaw" and "Slytherin" were being shouted by someone beyond the great wooden doors that led to the Great Hall. No doubt this was the Sorting Dumbledore, Thorne, and Sirius had mentioned. As Satsobek heaved one of the heavy doors open, Dumbledore was standing to begin his start of term speech.

"Welcome!" He boomed over the hall, his voice surprisingly loud for his age. "Welcome first years and congratulations on the beginning of your seven year journey with us at Hogwarts. Welcome also to those returning to us from previous years. I trust that all of you had a wonderful and relaxing summer and are all ready to return to your studies." Several students rolled their eyes and muttered under their breath. Satsa could see Dumbledore smirking under his silver mustache. Clearly this had been the response he was expecting. "I am sure you as much as I are wasting away with hunger, but!" Dumbledore said raising an age-gnarled finger, his eyes glinting in the candlelight. "We have one more person to sort." He lifted his gaze to the back of the Great Hall, "Miss Malinza, would you please step forward?" He beckoned to her, with a gentle smile.

Every head in the Great Hall turned to the double doors in the back of the hall to watch Satsobek stride forward. She knew every eye was watching her confident, fluid motion and she ate it up. Whispers of "Is that a falcon" and "She can't be a first year," fell on her keen ears making the corner of her sanguine mouth turn up. With long, elegant steps, Satsobek made her way to towards the High Table. She found Thorne's face among the teachers and he winked at her. She didn't bat an eye but fixed her gaze on Dumbledore. On the platform before him there was a stool on which sat a very tattered old hat.

"Welcome to Hogwarts." The Headmaster said when she had reached the front.

"Thank you, Headmaster." She replied bowing to him and the rest of the faculty regally.

"Now, for those of you who don't know Satsobek," Dumbledore, said, addressing the students as Satsa turned around to face the hall. "She is an exchange student from Egypt and will be entering Hogwarts as a fifth year." The headmaster rattled on about her accomplishments at Durmstrang as Satsa scanned the hall for faces she knew. She found Severus first, sitting at a table covered in silver and green. The banner above the table depicted a silver snake. He inclined his head to her, his thin mouth curving into a smile. She allowed him a small curl of her lips before she moved on. She spied James, Remus, Peter and Sirius next, all sitting at a table decked out in gold and crimson. She shot them all a cool smile, though she found her eyes lingering on Sirius just a second longer than she would have liked because Sirius waved at her jovially. Her insides writhed in response and she mentally kicked herself, hoping no one saw her reaction. This was ruining her facade.

"Now Miss Malinza, please be seated on the stool and place the Sorting Hat on your head." Dumbledore said, gesturing to the hat. She sat down and pulled the bedraggled thing about her lovely tresses while Heket took off up into the rafters to watch. Suddenly, Satsobek heard a tiny voice, murmering thoughtfully into her ear.

"Satsobek Malinza." It said. "A fine student to be sure. Your mother was as well. But where to put you now that's a rub. Hufflepuff? Not in this lifetime ...maybe Ravenclaw? The strive to learn is there but you are strong and brave as well! Griffindor perhaps? No no you are much too cold to get along there. You do tend to serve your own ends after all...yes, you are far too brutal... too powerful and that will make this Sorting easier. It is decided then! SLYTHERIN!" The tiny voice suddenly exploded and apparently the whole room heard the name of the House because the table at which Severus was sitting erupted into cheers. Satsobek removed the hat calmly and turned to Dumbledore again.

"Congratulations, Satsobek. Now, if you will take your seat with your House, the feast will begin!"

"Thank you, sir." She replied silkily before she walked languidly towards the Slytherin table. As she approached, she spied Severus making room for her beside him. As she sat down, Satsobek knew at once that this was where she belonged. Sitting at this table were the most powerful, ruthless and cunning students at Hogwarts. It was etched in the face of each one of them and she knew she would fit right in.

After the feast, Satsobek, with Heket in tow, headed down the stairs to her room, which she was told was in the dungeon. She had been among the first to leave the Feast and she was the first to arrive in her room. She took a quick look around before she picked out the four poster bed in the corner. Heket perched herself on one of the bedposts and began to preen, as her mistress started to unpack.

Satsa unpacked her books and supplies first and placed them about her desk. Her new robes came out next and she hung them in the wardrobe along with her other clothes which consisted of black desert dresses. As she was placing Heket's brass cage by the window, Satsa heard the door to the room creak and she turned to see who it was. A short, cherubic looking girl all but bounced in the room, her chestnut curls springing around her shoulders.

"Hello!" The girl said brightly, as she strode in the room. "I'm Melanie Detter. Oh you're the exchange student! What's your name?"

"Satsobek Malinza" She said in a disinterested tone. "What is that?" Melanie asked, pointing at Heket who was still preening on the bedpost.

"SHE is a desert falcon." Satsa answered pointedly.

"Don't you have an owl?"

"No. I live in the desert. An owl wouldn't last a day out there." There was a long pause after Satsobek's curt answer.

"So," Melanie huffed, trying once again to induce conversation, as Satsa dissapeared behind a partition to change into her nightgown. "I hear you went to Durmstrang. What's it like?"

"Cold." Came Satsa's answer from the partition behind as she draped her black Hogwarts robe over the top.

"You didn't like it there?" She asked, as she began to unpack her own trunk

"I asked for a transfer. What do you think?" Satsa snapped.

"Really?" Melanie sounded surprised, "My cousin goes to school there and she always says it's simply wonderful." She said dreamily.

"Unless you like not being able to go outside for six months because you'll freeze to death if you do, it's the most dreadful place on earth." Satsa spat at her as she leaned the partition against the wall at the foot of her bed. She was now in a satin knee length nightgown, which showcased her lithe figure but was not terribly gratuitous. Then, without word or glance to Melanie, she began to climb into bed.

"You're not going to sleep are you?" Melanie asked, sounding rather shocked.

"Yes." Satsa replied as she began to pull the curtains of the bed closed

"But don't you want to meet you roommates?" Melanie asked, a frown contorting her doll-like features. "They'll be here any minute."

"We'll be living together for the next nine months so I'm sure we'll have a time for pleasantries. Now is not it. Good Night." Satsobek snapped rather forcedly as she drew the curtains around her bed.

"Good night." Melanie muttered.

Satsobek heard two other girls come in the room but since it wasn't girls she was interested in meeting she didn't stir. Within a few minutes she was fast asleep. 


	5. The New Challenge

A/N Hey all! Same drill as before! I hope you're enjoying this story and that you'll review whether you are or not.

Not bothering with the disclaimer until something new comes up...

Chapter 5: A New Challenge

When Satsobek was on desert digs in Egypt, the day started at sunrise and sometimes went on until there was not enough light to work and she didn't understand why that should change now. On the first day of class, Satsobek was up and dressed before sunrise. She opened the window by her bed and let the warm morning breeze waft in the room, ruffling the curtains of the beds. Satsa slowly took Heket off her perch on the bedpost and drew her up to her face. The majestic bird preened at her mistress' hair as she was walked over to the window.

"Go on." She said stretching her arm out the window, "Give your wings a good stretch. I'll call you in when I get out of class for lunch." The falcon looked at her mistress and then out the window before she took off.

Satsa turned from the window when Heket was but a speck in the silver gray sky. She walked to her desk and found a note written in elegant script lying by her books.

Miss Malinza,

In all your excitement last night you forgot one minor detail of your instructions. You failed to meet with me about continuing your training as an Animagus, but don't fret. When you get this, just come see me in my office.

A.D.

Satsobek's insides suddenly turned to ice with a sickening twist. How could she have forgotten? Well, that didn't matter now. All she was concerned with was getting to Dumbledore as fast as humanly possible. She finished getting ready (she wanted to look stunning for her first day though that needed little effort) and made her way to Dumbledore's office.

A hulking stone gargoyle blocked the passage to Dumbledore's office there was no squeezing around the massive statue. As she was contemplating what she would do to get him when she heard someone call her name. It was Professor Thorne and he was striding up the passage after her.

"What are you doing down here this early? Not in trouble already, are you?" He asked brightly, too brightly for the early hour. Satsa may have been used to getting up at the crack of dawn but that did not make her a morning person.

"Afraid so." She answered, looking back up at the gargoyle. " I forgot to see the headmaster after the feast regarding my pursuit of becoming an Animagus."

Thorne raised his eyebrows. "An Animagus? Now there's a rare pursuit to be sure. I see you don't know how to get around Dumbledore's friend here" Thorne gestured to the statue. "Allow me." He stepped up to the hulking piece of stone and said in a clear voice, "lemon drops." Suddenly, as though it had been pricked with a pin, the gargoyle leapt aside allowing Satsa and Thorne to pass.

Dumbledore's office was large and eccentrically decorated with all sorts of odds and ends of his travels, as well as pictures of his predecessors snoozing in their frames. There were countless shelves lined with books and papers and in the corner a scarlet bird the size of a turkey sat on its perch. Behind a huge oak desk, sat Dumbledore himself, the perfect centerpiece to the eccentricity of the room.

"Good morning, Miss Malinza, Professor Thorne." He nodded to each in turn. "I'll deal with you first, Miss Malinza, so you can get on to breakfast. You don't mind do you Nicolae?" Dumbledore said.

"Not at all sir." Nicolae gestured for Satsobek to step up to the desk.

"My apologies for forgetting about this, Headmaster." Satsobek said.

"I told you not to fret, Satsobek." Dumbledore told her reassuringly. "Now, about your registration. "In Britain, all Animagi are registered, both nationally and internationally. It is required by law. The Ministry of Magic has on file the name and animal form taken of every Animagus trained. The form asks for a detailed description of your animal as well as your human form." He handed her the form and a quill. "If you please?"

Animagus Registration

Human form-

Name: Satsobek Malinza Date of Birth: 8-1-1959 Hair color: black Eye color: black Nationality: Egyptian Place of birth: Alexandria, Egypt Identifying marks: none

Animal form-

Animal: Egyptian Cat Color: black Identifying marks: notch out of left ear Eye color: yellow

Satsobek signed her name at the bottom and handed the form back to the headmaster.

"Thank you dear. I assume it says on your schedule you're to see Professor McGonagall this morning to continue your training as an Animagus here at Hogwarts." Said Dumbledore taking the form. "Yes, Headmaster." Satsobek replied.

"Good. Now that you're all settled, I bet you're hungry. Why don't you head down to breakfast."

"I will. Thank you sir." She answered softly as she turned to go.

The smell of food drifted up the corridor to meet Satsobek as she walked towards the Great Hall and her stomach growled in response. As she entered the Great Hall, she spied Severus Snape who was striding up to meet her. He showed her to a seat he had saved for her at the Slytherin table.

"I trust you slept well?" He said as he sat down beside her.

"I did." She answered, placing her napkin in her lap. "Thank you Severus."

"Good morning Sate-soo-beak!" Melanie said brightly.

"It's Sat-so-bek." She said, annoyed. "Good morning."

"You were up early this morning." She commented, speaking more loudly than was necessary. "Gone before I even got up."

"I had to go see the Headmaster." Satsa told her blandly.

Melanie frowned. "Whatever for?"

Satsa could scarcely keep her breath from hissing out from between her teeth from irritation. "If you must know, I was getting my Animagus registration in order."

"You're an Animagus?" Severus asked, his voice carefully schooled around his amazement.

She turned her dark eyes toward him and smiled. "That's giving me far to much credit, Severus." She said, coolly. "I will be an Animagus with a few more years of training."

"But still!" Melanie bubbled. "I would love to be able to turn into an animal. What can you turn into? Or do you not know yet?"

"I turn into a black cat." Satsa answered flatly as she spooned some of the scrambled eggs on her plate.

"Oh how positively delightful! I love cats and-"

Satsobek didn't hear the rest of what Melanie said because Severus drew her attention by touching her arm. "Satsa," Severus said, directing her gaze to the person on her left. "Allow me to introduce my friend, Lucius Malfoy."

Satsobek turned to face a pair of hansome gray eyes so cold they would have made ice seem warm. Her blood flashed to boiling under his gaze.

"Hello." She said, wondering how she could speak at all.

"Satsobek, is it?" He asked.

"Yes that's right." She answered, carefully. "But everyone calls me Satsa. Just easier to say I guess." Did she sound like she was rambling?

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Satsa." Malfoy said with a sly grin. He took her hand and kissed it softly, never taking his eyes from hers. "A true pleasure."

All Satsa could think to do was smile at him. She didn't dare trust her voice. Her skin was crawling under his. He was good. He was really good.

"I was thrilled when you made Slytherin, Satsobek." Severus said, breaking her attention from Lucius. "Finest house, after all."

"Indeed." Malfoy agreed with a prideful smile. "All purebloods in our house and I am glad of that. I can't imagine having to sleep in the same room as a Mudblood. Having to take classes with them is bad enough."

Satsa and Severus nodded in unison.

"I wasn't sure what to expect from the Sorting." Satsa confessed before she took a bite of her toast.

"Dumbledore didn't tell you anything?" Severus asked.

"Not a thing." She replied. "Sirius wouldn't tell me anything either." She noted that Severus' jaw tensed at the sound of that name. Sirius and Severus must have some history so she gracefully moved on from that subject. "Of course I was hoping for Slytherin, once I learned that was your house, Severus." She gave him a wry smile before she downed her pumpkin juice and gathered her books. She thought she saw his waxy face blush momentarily. "I'm afraid I must dash. I have to find the Defense Against the Dark Arts room before"

"Don't fret, love." Lucius said, quickly wiping his mouth. "We'll all be getting there eventually. How about I walk you there?" He offered her his arm. She took it without even a glance in Severus' direction and let Lucius whisk her out of the Great Hall. 


	6. As Long As We Have Friendship

A/N: Greetings once again to all my wonderful readers! Lets hop straight to this shall we?

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize...The title of this chapter is a fragment from a quote I found. I'm not sure who said it but here it is."As long as we have memories, yesterday remains, as long as we have hope, tomorrow awaits. As long as we have friendship, each day is never a waste."

Chapter 6: As long as we have friendship

McGonagall was sitting at her desk when Satsobek arrived in her office, after having gone to her dormatory to let Heket back inside after lunch. The professor waited on the girl to close the door and approach the desk before she spoke.

"I suppose we should begin by discussing what you have already done" McGonagall said, as she placed her finely boned hands on her desk and rose from her chair. "I take it since you know what animal you transform into, you have already performed a transformation."

Satsobek nodded. "That is correct, Professor."

"Very well." McGonagall said as she walked around the desk and came to stand in front of her pupil. "Would you care to show me?"

Satsa nodded once before closing her eyes. It took her a moment to get her mind to focus on the cat. It hung at first as a shapeless idea and she couldn't grasp it. Her dark brow furrowed with concentration as she reached out to the image and the edges of the image began to sharpen. She could feel the ebony fur of the feline creeping up her back and her bones twisting and realigning themselves. When she opened her now golden eyes, she had to look up to see her teacher's face.

McGonagall's thin lips bent in a satisfied smile. "Very good, and now will you transform back please?"

Satsa closed her eyes again and began to bring into focus her human form. This was much easier than transforming into the feline. She drew the image of herself towards her and then wrapped herself in it. After a moment, she was back in human form, standing tall before her professor.

McGonagall smiled again. "Very good, Satsobek." She praised. "You are much further along than I had anticipated."

Satsa allowed herself a prideful smile.

"Getting back to human from the animal seems to be coming easily for you" She said. "The only problem I'm seeing is that you seem to be struggling to change smoothly from human to cat."

Satsa nodded. "Yes, Professor. I have trouble getting my mind focused on the cat."

McGonagall nodded. "That will just come with practice." She told her. "So that is what we will do today."

Satsa spent the next hour changing back and forth from girl to feline and back again. By the time McGonagall released her she was mentally exhausted.

"One last thing," McGonagall said as Satsa opened the classroom door.

"Yes, Professor?" Satsa turned back towards her.

"You may not change without my supervision. Is that understood?" McGonagall had a note of severity in her voice.

"Yes, Professor." Satsa replied giving McGonagall her most polite and sincere smile.

At dinner, Satsa kept catching glimpses of Sirius at the Gryffindor table. Whenever they would lock eyes, he would crook a finger at her, making her insides writhe. After dinner, Satsobek drifted over to the Gryffindor table, getting several nasty looks from other Gryffindors as she sat down between Sirius and James.

"So," She said in a sultry voice as she folded her arms on the table. "What was I being beckoned for?"

"Word has it you're an Animagus." Sirius said, keeping his voice intriguingly low.

"I am." She replied, matching her tone to his.

Devious smiles were traded around the table. "Come with us." James said, rising from his seat. Satsa and his friends followed in suit and trailed after him out of the Great Hall. James led them down the corridors to a classroom at the very end of a hall on the second floor. "This is an extra classroom." He told them as he opened the door and stepped inside. "Or at least that's what Flitwick told me."

"Why did you tell him you wanted to know?" Peter asked cautiously.

"For charms practice? Why else?" James answered, looking around the dark room. Desks were stacked against the walls coated with a thin layer of dust.

"And he bought it?" Remus asked incredulously.

"Oh he was thrilled." James replied absently as he pulled the door closed.

"Well, if you want to get technical," Sirius said, folding his arms. "We will be practicing charms."

"What exactly are we doing?" Satsa asked, placing her hands on her hips. "And what does it have to do with my being an Animagus?"

More smiles were exchanged before Sirius began to explain. "Well, you know how all Animagi in Britain are supposed to be registered?"

Satsobek nodded, her dark eyes narrowing slightly. "I had to register my first day." She said, her suspicion betraying itself in her voice.

"Well, Satsobek, you are looking at not one but three unregistered Animagi" Sirius said with a note of pride though he was careful to keep his voice low.

Satsobek's dark eyes widened, her mouth gaping open. "But... but... that's... how is-" She sputtered irrationality for a moment before she could get her words to line up. "But how did you learn?"

"James figured it out." Peter said, pointing at his friend.

"You said there were three of you." Satsa said, "Which ones?"

"Me, James and Peter." Sirius replied.

Satsa's dark brows knit. "Why not Remus?" She asked, turning her eyes on him. Remus dropped his gaze to the stone floor.

Sirius crossed in front of him. "I think we should leave that alone. Its not exactly something Remus likes to talk-"

Remus' mild voice cut him off. "I'll tell her." He said softly, raising a hand to silence him. He folded his arms across his chest and began to explain. "My friends didn't become Animagi simply to amuse themselves by breaking all manner of rules and laws." James and Sirius exchanged smirks. "They became Animagi because of me." He took a deep breath before continuing his story. "I am a werewolf." The confession fell from his lips softly. Satsa swallowed a few times as she soaked in the news. "Being as such, I must spend the full moon of each month in isolation" Remus went on, his voice getting stronger. "When these three discovered my plight, they taught themselves how to be Animagi. You see I'm not dangerous to animals, so they can join me on the full moons."

Satsobek was speechless for a moment. "So how long have you been doing this?"

"Well, James got it all worked by late last winter semester." Sirius said. "And we had our first run on the grounds a few days before exams started. We have a blast running about the grounds. We've even visited the Forbidden Forest a few times."

Satsa took a deep breath. "So I ask again." She said, running a hand through her thick hair. "What do you want from me?"

"Well, nothing really." James said, "Aside from your company on the next full moon."

Satsobek's dark eyes kindled. "Would I be able to bring Heket?"

James looked over at Sirius and then at Remus. They both shrugged. "I don't see why not." He said.

"Um... um..." Peter stammered dumbly. "Falcons eat rodents."

"Of course." She answered, with a toss of her black tresses. "There was never a rat in any of my camps so long as Heket was in the mood for them" The color drained from Peter's face. "Why? Is that bad?" She asked.

The other three boys exchanged fiendish smiles. "It could be." Sirius said. "You see, Peter, here transforms into a rat."

Satsa choked on a laugh. "Well, Heket won't be his only worry if that is the case."

"Wh-what do you mean?" Peter asked carefully.

"I transform into a black cat." She replied with a rather pitiless smile.

Peter's watery eyes became impossibly wide. "But you... you won't..." His voice was thin with alarm.

"Ah don't worry about her, Peter." James said, clapping him on the shoulder. "She won't come hunting you, and if she does," He turned his playfully challenging gaze on Satsa, "She'll have the sharp end of my antlers to deal with." Peter tried to smile at that.

Satsa snorted haughtily. "Antlers have you? A stag then?"

James nodded.

"And you?" She turned to Sirius.

"A dog." He answered simply. "No particular breed... just a big black dog."

A shadow passed over the door of the classroom before anything else could be said. "Hey guys, we had better get out of here." Remus said, cautiously. "They'll be calling curfew soon, and Satsa has to get all the way down to the dungeons."

"Oh yes," James said with mocking pompousness, "Can't afford to tarnish the record of our resident prefect." A glare from Remus followed him as he left the room.

As Satsobek lay in bed that night, she thought of all the people she had met that day. There had been so many new faces to see and names to learn. Meeting new people had always excited her. Every year, she looked forward to the beginning of the digging season because there was always someone new in camp.

Her thoughts first drifted to those she shared her room with. First there was Melanie Detter who Satsa knew from the start would annoy the ever-living hell out of her. She was always boisterous and energetic in the morning and while Satsa did rise before the sun, that did not make her a morning person. People with that much energy aggravated Satsa immensely. Not only was she irritating but she had an owl that constantly picked fights with Heket.

On the same note there was Melanie's best friend, Catrina, who also shared the dormitory. She could be worse than Melanie sometimes, if that was believable. Some times Melanie and Catrina would talk late into the night about how much homework they had or the cute boy in one of their classes. It was always something trivial. It was bothersome to listen to such amateurs talk about the games they try to play. For one thing, just the fact that they talked about it at all showed their incompetence. Sometimes the two would talk so late that Satsobek would be forced to insist very strongly and rudely that they save the conversation for the morning and get their asses in bed.

Now, Satsobek's third roommate was thankfully, another story. Ming Wang was an exchange student from China. She was very quiet which suited Satsa just fine. The two became friends despite the fact they barely spoke, unless they were working together on a difficult potions assignment. To them, conversation was frivolous. If you couldn't say it with your eyes, it wasn't worth saying.

Satsa hadn't met any of her other fellow Slytherins as of yet, save for Severus and Lucius.

She rolled over on her side and began to stroke Heket, who was asleep beside her on a pillow. The bird opened a sleepy onyx eye and stared at her. The bird blinked once, slowly before closing it again. The color in the bird's eyes reminded Satsobek of Severus Snape's inky gaze. He had proved himself to be a cold but very polite gentleman. Satsa clearly fascinated him because he gave her his respect, which he never paid to other girls. She couldn't deny that she fancied him as well. She found it impressive that he could match her incredibly cold and regal nature. His vast knowledge and deftness of conversation also intrigued her. Talking at him at lunch that afternoon had been more like swordplay than a discussion and she reveled in it.

Satsobek allowed a scheming smile to etch itself on her face as she though of the other young man she had enjoyed lunch with, Lucius Malfoy. Now there was someone who could match her skills of seduction. She felt sure he knew the games she played and was obviously able at the art as well. He was so smooth and cool that it bothered Satsobek. This was the first time she was ever worried that someone might beat her at her own game.

Then the young lady's sleepy memory turned to James Potter. He seemed the fun and mischief loving sort. Satsa found that commendable. Pity he didn't seem to take an interest in her. She had seen his hazel eyes wandering to a red headed Gryffindor girl who sat near him in the Great Hall. As for Remus, she just didn't feel interested, plus there was a hang up with the werewolf dilemma though she would never tell him that. Peter, Satsa knew he would provide plenty of entertainment on the full moons. That was for sure but she wasn't interested in playing games with him either, save cat and mouse, literally.

But then there was Sirius Black. Satsa closed her eyes as she thought of his handsome smile and his glittering pale eyes. She couldn't say what color they were. They were just light in color and seemed to shift in hue when the light changed. Just thinking about him curled the corners of her mouth. She couldn't say for sure if he had taken a fancy to her. He might have and was just shy or he may just be treating her like one of his close friends. She had no idea what he was like around girls.

Still, even if he did fancy her she wouldn't play him. She couldn't do it. Not and live with herself after she broke his heart. Lucius and Severus, she would have no problem with hurting but she couldn't do it to Sirius. She didn't know why that was.

"But he would be so easy!" Her mind screamed. "He's not anything to you and he won't be unless you let him get that close. All he is is a pawn on your game board."

But Sirius was so trusting and probably naive as well. He had no idea how bad she could hurt him, how well she could play him, and how deep she could cut him.

Still, her cruel mind told her. "What is this, a romance novel? Quit your swooning and play him! You should plaster him up on a wall and use him for target practice. You actually think he's interested?!"

Satsa's jaw clenched with disgust at her own thoughts. "I'm going to sleep" she muttered as she flipped over. She bounced the entire bed and Heket awoke again. She scooted over next to her mistress and began to preen her hair. The falcon knew her mistress was in distress but she had no way of telling why. Still, she knew all would be explained in time. It always was.


	7. Get Your Mind Out Of The Way

A/N: Hello once again to all! Thank you so much for reading this. I promise that there is plot coming. This installment will be short... sorry for that but school work takes priority... as do cliffhangers.

Disclaimer: The chappie name is from a quote from my band director who said, "When you get your mind out of the way you can play anything." Band dork... I know.

Chapter 7: Get Your Mind Out Of The Way

Satsa continued to rise early every morning. Without fail, she was thefirst girl in her room dressed and ready for breakfast, though Ming was never far behind. Once she was dressed, Satsa would open the window by herbed and let Heket fly off into the gray morning. She would leave the window open in case it rained. She hated to think of Heket left outside in a downpour, but she also knew that the bird would pull all her feathers out from boredom if left inside all day.

On one morning a few weeks into school, Satsobek had been asked by Sirius to meet him and his friends for breakfast. Of course, she obliged eagerly, though she wasn't sure how welcome she would be at the Gryffindor table. Once Satsa had finished preening, she bounded up the dungeon stairs to the Great Hall.

Sirius was waiting for her at the Gryffindor table. He stood as sh approached the table and motioned for Remus to make room for her between them. None of the Gryffindors dared to glare at her for joining their table.

"Good morning, Satsobek." Sirius greeted once she was seated.

"Good morning, Sirius!" she replied brightly, more brightly than usual for this hour of the morning. "Good morning, James, Remus, Peter." She nodded to each in turn. "What may I ask is the occasion?"

"Do you know what this Thursday is?" Remus asked her, rather seriously.

"Since you're worrying about it, I'm assuming it's the full moon." She replied, lowering her voice, but not suspiciously so.

The four boys nodded, all of them glancing around to make sure no one was listening. Then they all grinned, impishly.

"So what do I need to do?" She asked, her face forming a devilish smile of her own.

Heket soared high into the cobalt blue canopy of the morning sky. The sun was just moments from showing its golden face over the horizon. She turned to face the east as the warm rays of the daystar washed over her. This was her favorite part of the day. She closed her eyes and reveled in the warm sunlight. If the graceful bird had been given the ability to smile, she would have been grinning a pleasured grin from ear to ear.

The desert falcon then turned her attention to the ground below her. Now that her morning reverie was over, she was on a very important mission: To find breakfast. She banked, her eyes scanning the fields surrounding the school some one hundred feet below her. She spied something crossing the grounds but it was no mouse. Five ominous looking men in deep burgundy robes trimmed in gold were walking towards the front gate. Heket's brain jarred. She had seen them before and the memory was not a pretty one. She had to get back to her mistress and warn her.

Satsa was unrecognizable as she came out of the Great Hall with Sirius and the other boys. She was smiling and laughing, not even bothering to return the looks of loathing from the other Gryffindors. It was a total change of character.

"So you'll join us this Thursday?" Sirius asked hopefully.

"Sure! Sounds like a real party!" Satsobek replied.

"Oh! It is! One time-" Sirius was cut off by a piercing cry. They looked to see Heket barreling down the hall after them, screeching at the top of her lungs. Satsobek caught her on her arm and began to stroke her as she spoke soothingly.

"What is it? Heket! My darling! What? WHAT?!" Heket began to tug at Satsobek's cat necklace. A grave look washed over the dark girl's face. "She wants to tell me something." She said looking only at Sirius. "I can talk to her when I'm a cat. Go on to class. I'll be coming." She turned to go.

Sirius touched Satsa's shoulder and she turned to face him. His face was closer to hers than she would have liked. Her mouth was suddenly dry as he pushed a lock of her dark hair out of her eyes. "You'll tell me what's going on, won't you?"

"I will. I swear it." She replied. For some reason, she reached up and squeezed his hand where it rested on her shoulder. Then she turned and all but sprinted for the dungeon stairs with Heket flying after her. Before she descended the stairs, the frightened girl stopped to look back at Sirius, hoping to glimpse him once more, but he was already gone. 


	8. Cat and Bird

A/N: Well here we go with chappie 8. Just a few notes before we get started. I do know that the Slytherin dorms are in the dungeon and therefore would have no windows. I imagine that there might narrow ones along the ceiling so that's all I mean. Now that that is cleared up, on with the show!

Chapter 9: Cat and Bird

A cat and a bird certainly make strange bedfellows and the lanky black cat and the regal desert falcon sitting on the four poster bed in the Slytherin dungeon were no exception. You couldn't know it but a conversation between two old friends was taking place.

"So you're sure it was them?" The cat asked.

"Positive." The falcon nodded sharply.

The cat jumped down and began to pace the floor. "I can't believe it! The people who murdered my mother are here!" She stopped and turned her flaxen eyes up at the falcon who stared back down at her. "You're absolutely sure it was them?" The cat pressed.

Exasperation touched the falcon's reply. "Yes! I swear it on my life!" the falcon flittered down to join her mistress.

There was a pause as the cat returned her gaze to the floor. She quickly evaluated the dreadful situation. Then she pulled her eyes up to meet the bird's. "Did you see which way they were headed?"

"They were walking toward the front door." Came the level reply. "Perhaps they went in Dumbledore's office?"

"Let's check there then." The cat said, fighting to keep calm.

This time, the stone gargoyle was no contest for Satsobek, now in human form. The dark girl began to call out names of candy until one caused the statue to remove itself from her path. This time it happened to be Chocolate Frogs. With the statue out of their way, Heket and Satsobek found a dark corner near the door to Dumbledore's office and huddled against the stone wall, so as not to be seen. Once hidden, Satsa closed her eyes as she morphed into the feline once again. She felt the fur creeping up her back. It came easier this time. Perhaps her classes with McGonagall were paying off.

The pair sat in the corner for some ten minutes before footsteps could be heard echoing up the corridor. A moment later the stepping halted and a male voice began to call out names of candy to the gargoyle.

"Thorne." The cat breathed. "Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

But Thorne was not alone. Behind him were five men in burgandy robes. The cat gasped. One of the men walked a few steps before the others, and just behind Thorne. He walked tall with his head held high and an air of pride and determination dripping from his features.

"See them in, Nicolae." They heard Dumbledore say after Thorne knocked. Thorne opened the door and showed them in.

"Good afternoon, Albus." An unfamiliar voice said, once the door was closed.

"Good afternoon, Nigel." Dumbledore answered without his usual cordiality.

"I assume you know why we are here?" The voice inquired.

"I do." Dumbledore answered with a strange indifference. "You are here because Satsobek Malinza's sister has been murdered and you wish to remove the girl from Hogwarts" The cat tensed beside the falcon.

"That is correct, Albus." Nigel returned.

"You must understand that I do not approve at all."

"Your approval is not what I seek, Albus." Nigel said. "All I want is your permission."

"And that I cannot grant until I am told why the girl is not safe at Hogwarts." Dumbledore replied with a note of steel in his voice.

"We haven't time to explain. The Ministry has all but ordered that Satsobek be placed under the constant watch of the Ministry. Dumbledore. I-"

Dumbledore's sharp voice cut him off. "If you cannot explain, then she stays here."

"You can't do that!" Nigel shouted, impatiently.

"Oh? Can't I?" There was a note of level maliciousness in the headmaster's voice that Satsobek had never heard before or even though the kindly old man capable of.

Nigel must have been taken aback my Dumbledore's viciousness as well because there was a strained pause before he spoke. "However, I do believe an explaination is in order." Dumbledore's chair creaked as if he were sitting back and waiting skeptically for Nigel's reason. "The girl's sister was kidnapped and murdered. We believe those responsible will soon be after Satsobek as well."

"Ariadne Malinza?" Dumbledore asked. "But why? She's a Squib if I am told right."

"Her murder was a mistake." Nigel answered rather heartlessly. "So do you see my reasoning? She needs to come with us."

"I still will not allow her to be taken from Hogwarts. She has been safe all year. She will be safe hence."

"Provided those seeking to put an end to her for whatever reason make another mistake." Nigel retaliated.

"Who do you believe is seeking Satsobek?" Dumbledore asked, mildly.

"The Death Eaters... among others. But they are the most likely"

Satsa frowned and hunched lower into the corner. "Death Eaters?"

"Voldemort's followers." Heket replied, not removing her intense gaze from the door.

Dumbledore continued to state his disapproval of Nigel's wishes."I do not see why Satsobek cannot be allowed to stay at school like a normal girl."

"But she's not a normal girl! You know that, Albus." Nigel seethed. "She's the halfbreed daughter of Lord Voldemort! You think her astonishing power is an accident?"

"Silence, Nigel!" Dumbledore barked. "You want the whole castle to hear?"

Satsobek reeled as if she had been dealt a hard punch. The foundational knowledge of her family had been rocked by the earthquake of what she had just heard. Her mind raced wildly as she sought to put it all in some sort of order. Voldemort... That's who her father was? That's what her father was? Her sister was a dead? Her father was Muggle born. It was disgraceful. She herself was a half-breed... Half-blood... Mudblood! Her mother had lied.

Heket scooted closer to Satsa. "Come on." She said soothingly, touching her shoulder with the end of her beak. "Sirius will want to hear about this. You promised you would tell him."

The pair left quietly, Satsa still in cat form because she was too shocked to even attempt to transform back. Before she had left the corridor, Satsobek heard Dumbledore's calm voice resonate from behind the doors of his office, "My decision still stands. Satsobek will stay at Hogwarts." It was a glimmer of hope in the vast darkness before her. 


	9. Your Dreams Are Yours

A/N: Sorry for the nasty cliffhanger there at the end of the last chappie.  
I'm notorious for them and damn proud of it. Please send me feedback! I like to hear how I'm doing, be it good or bad.

Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize. I got the chappie name from they lyrics to Quidam from Cirque du Soleil.

Rating: Please remember that this is a PG-13ish fic. It hasn't gotten bad yet but there is some language and snogging in this chappie... just wanted to remind everyone!

And now, on with the show!

Chapter 10: Your Dreams are Yours

Satsa caught up to Sirius outside on the grounds on the following Saturday. She hadn't told anyone about what she had heard in Dumbledore's office. She had wanted him to be the first to hear the dreadful news and she wasn't sure why.

"He said WHAT?" Sirius exclaimed when she finished her tale. His pale eyes were all but bugging out of his head.

"You heard me, Sirius." Satsobek said in a pained and weary voice. "Don't make me go over it again."

Sirius leaned back against a tree, his head smacking against it with a loud thump. "Mother of God and all her damn nephews..." He breathed.

Satsa wrapped her arms over her stomach and gave herself a makeshift hug as she started to pace. "This is just unbelievable." She half whispered, her voice cracking with strain. "I mean it's not just my sister turning up murdered or my father being who he is... Well, it partially is that. But I'm... I'm... half blood." Her lips strained around the words as though they tasted bitter to say.

Sirius took a step towards her. "You parentage isn't what really matters. Satsa, I know plenty of Muggle-borns who-"

Satsa rounded on him, her ebony eyes all but blazing. "I was lied to Sirius! You're pureblood. Your whole family is if what I've heard tell is correct. You should know how important it is." She snarled at him, making him move back against the tree. "I was told I had the purest blood in the wizarding world and it was all a lie." She started to pace more frantically. "I'm in Slytherin, for Christ's sake! They are ALL pure bloods! What if someone finds out?" Her lovely face contorted in an expression like a marriage of rage and panic. Then she raised her dark eyes to Sirius, and her expression became a wash of guilt. She felt instantly awful for snapping at him.

"Easy." Sirius said, in a soothing voice, taking her by the shoulders. "Easy, Satsa. Does anyone else know?" He asked, gently.

"Thorne, Dumbledore, and you are the only people at Hogwarts I think." Satsa replied wearily, the anger fading from her.

A smile tugged at Sirius's handsome features as he pulled her into a gentle hug. "Then your dirty little secret is safe with me." He whispered.

As Satsa descended the stairs into the Slytherin dungeon, she heard someone calling her name from the top of the stairs. She turned to find Lucius Malfoy's steel gray eyes looking down at her as he followed her down to the bottom.

"Where have you been all day?" He inquired, not sounding at all upset, but merely curious.

Satsa gave a casual laugh, or at least that's the way she hoped it sounded. "Oh, it's a long story. I'll have to tell you later." She replied, giving a nonchalant flip of her hand. "Why do you ask?"

"I had hoped we might have lunch together." He answered, with a sly smile. "But I couldn't find you."

She returned his smile as she spoke. "Well, could I have dinner with you instead?" She offered. "I do enjoy your company so."

Lucius' smile widened, his dusky eyes concealing dark designs. "Yes, the conversations we have are quite engaging. And perhaps," He stepped a little closer and lowered his voice to a seductive whisper, "You could grace me with another kind of conversation later." While his words were not blatant in meaning, his tone divulged his meaning exactly.

Satsobek swallowed hard and put on her most tempting smile. He had moved more quickly than she had anticipated and she didn't want Lucius to know he had caught her off guard. "That sounds very inviting, Lucius, though I must warn you my skills are a bit rusty." Yes, that's the ticket. They love to think you are less than they are... to think that they have something to teach you.

"What skills do you mean, love?" He asked, a mock innocence dripping from him, making Satsobek give him a nasty smile. And then it melted away as he traced a line with his finger down her arm, making her shiver unexpectedly. "Not to worry, love. I can have you back in practice in no time. I promise" It sounded more like a threat than a promise.

"So it's a date then." She said, keeping her voice smooth and low. The adrenaline rushing through her system was making keeping her cool very hard.

"It is indeed." He bent and kissed her hand, which sent another thrill through her. "I will see you in the Great Hall at six tonight."

"See you then." She said, feeling rather foolish that she couldn't come up with anything better to say.

As Lucius turned and bounded up the stairs, a rush of panic ran through Satsa. What was wrong with her? Was she really that out of practice? Or was it him? Was he really just that good at this? Tonight would prove one way or the other.

Satsobek and Lucius exchanged small talk for nearly an hour over their dinner in the Great Hall before Lucius asked the question he had been promised an answer to earlier in the day.

"So what was it you were up to all day today?" He asked resting his elbows on the table and steepling his long fingers over his plate.

Satsa gave a docile smile as she set her fork down on the edge of her plate. She had spent the afternoon sorting out what she was going to keep out of her rendition of her morning's escapades. She looked him cooly in the eyes as she spoke. "You must understand, Lucius. No one knows what I'm about to tell you, and I don't intend for anyone else to know" He gave a nod, consenting his vow of secrecy and she went on. "There were some men in Dumbledore's office this morning." She paused to lick her lips, "I heard them say that I am the daughter of He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named."

Satsa had somehow expected Lucius to be speechless but he wasn't. A look of mild shock passed over his features as he asked, "Of Lord Voldemort, you mean?"

She nodded, fighting to keep her brows from furrowing at his reaction. "Yes." She replied.

An oddly pleased smile crept across Lucius' pale face as he set his chin on his now interlaced fingers. "How interesting." He said delicately.

Satsa smiled back at him, swallowing back a frown. "You think so?" She asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

Lucius' sneer deepened, his mercuric eyes cold enough to freeze. "My family is are prominent supporters of the Dark Lord." Lucius said, keeping his voice low. "I'm to take full Death Eater status upon my leaving Hogwarts." He sounded very proud of that.

"Are you?" She asked as she took a sip of her pumpkin juice. It took all her will to choke it down around her growing shock.

He nodded loftily. There was a moment of silence as they both took servings of desserts. "So I guess its not a wonder you made Slytherin." Lucius commented as he served himself some of the chocolate cake. "Not only are you pure blood but you're the Dark Lord's descendant as well. I personally don't think that Mudbloods should be allowed to study magic. They just muck it up. I'm sure you've found most Slytherins believe the same."

Satsa merely nodded. She had artfully left out the part about her being a half-breed. She had yet to make peace with her parentage. She didn't need Lucius berating her about it, though she thought berating would be the least he would do. Her insides were in icy knots now, not only because of her false status as a pure blood but because Lucius had yet to tell her the other plans he had for her for the evening.

"Could I walk you to your room?" Lucius asked as he finished the last of his cake.

"Please." Satsa returned as she pushed her plate away and stood from her seat. Lucius followed in suit and strode down the length of the table with her. As they reached the exit, he reached over and took Satsa's hand. She could feel her skin flinch under his.

Before they descended the dungeon stairs, Satsa, on an impulse, paused and looked out an arched window. The moon was a mere sliver from being full.

"What are you looking at, love?" Lucius asked, looking up at the night sky through the glass as well.

"The moon's nearly full." Satsa remarked, casually.

"Not a werewolf are you?" Lucius asked snidely.

Satsa gave a laugh that she prayed didn't sound nervous. How was it Lucius knew exactly the button to press. She hoped with all her might it was just luck.

Time to change the subject and hopefully turn the tables. Satsa perched herself on the windowsill. "So what other conversation were you talking about earlier?" She asked sounding rather angelic.

Lucius' handsome face twisted in a dark but playful smile and the look in his steel colored eyes was positively feral. "You wish the game to begin then?" He started towards her, crowding her against the window.

"But to play said game with me, you must play by my rules." She said, sliding out of the sill and away from him.

"What would those rules be?" Lucius inquired, watching her as a hawk would a mouse.

"Guy makes first move." She answered lightly as she backed herself into the shadowed corner by the window.

Lucius' eyes kindled as he watcher Satsobek all but corner herself. "Fair enough." He growled before he all but lunged at her. His hands found silken tresses as his lips found the hollow of her neck. He pressed her firmly into the corner so that she had no choice but to embrace him, though she wouldn't have chosen to do otherwise.

"Does this constituted a 'first move?'" He asked in a husky whisper, between kisses.

Satsa's mouth was drier than cotton so all she could do was nod.

Lucius smirked rather cruelly. "Pity. I might have gone farther." And with that said he released her. The memory of his touch burned Satsobek's skin as she fought to keep her composure.

Suddenly, chimes resounded in the halls of the school. Nine... ten... eleven. Eleven o'clock. Curfew.

Lucius offered his arm in a courtly fashion. "May I finish walking you to your room, milady?" he asked.

Satsa snorted. "You are hardly the knight in shining armor sort, Lucius" She replied as she took his arm.

"But that is highly overrated." He answered as they descended the stairs together. "Keeping one's shining armor shining requires more polishing than I would care to do."

Satsa's melodious laughter echoed in the damp dungeon corridor.


	10. Carried Away By The Wind That Shakes the...

A/N: YAY! A review! Makes me feel warm and fuzzy! This is one of my FAVORITE chapters. It was so much fun to write this part. Hope it brings a smile to your faces too.

Disclaimer: The title of this chapter is from a song in Robert Jordan's book series, The Wheel of Time. Must give credit where credit is due! And away we go!

Chapter 10: Carried Away by the Wind that Shakes the Willow

A huge black dog burst from the shadowy edge of the Forbidden Forest and into the pearly light of the full moon. Following in close pursuit of him were a lanky black cat and a brown wolf roughly the size of a pony.

"Help!" The dog cried, glancing back at his pursuers. "Prongs! Wormtail! I'm- UGH!" The dog dodged out of the way as the cat pounced, claws sinking into the dirt where he was just standing. "I'm outnumbered!" He wheeled around to face the cat and the wolf, baring his teeth.

"Oh, I'm now I'm shaking." The cat sneered as she readied herself to pounce again.

"We're coming, Padfoot!" A voice called from behind them, making the dog's ears prick up. A stag came galloping out of the Forest with a large ash colored rat clinging to his antlers

"Its about damn time, Prongs." The dog shouted as the cat and the wolf rounded to face the stag, the former hissing madly and the latter baring a menacing set of yellow fangs. Prongs lowered his antlers as the rat scampered down to his back, and charged at the wolf.

"Satsa!" the wolf shouted, dodging the stag's assaults. "Get our reinforcements!"

"With pleasure." The cat growled. She threw her head back and called to the sky. "Heket!" She shouted.

The stag ceased his attacks and raised his head. The rat scampered back up into his antlers as a falcon's cry ripped through the night. The cat smiled a devilishly toothy grin as she scanned the heavens.

"Wormtail?" The stag breathed, his eyes searching the blackened sky.

"Yeah?" The rat barely squeaked.

"Haul your bloody ass." He panted. "Now."

"Right." The rat whispered before he leapt to the ground and skittered off through the grass, heading for the cover of the Forbidden Forest. Another shrill cry rent the dark, sounding closer this time and in a flash of feathers and talons, Wormtail was snatched from the grass. He squeaked for help as Heket carried him high into the sky.

The stag rounded on her. "Satsa, you little-"

The cat arched her back and hissed, "Don't you dare say bitch because you know that's not the case. Besides, Paddle-foot over there might take offense."

"Hey!" The dog protested.

The stag used his antlers as a pitchfork and sent the feline soaring over the wolf. She landed gracefully on her feet, wheeled around and hissed. The wolf bared his ivory-yellow fangs and began to circle the stag, snarling. Prongs in turn lowered his head and bared his tiny teeth and growled as well though it came off as more of a grunt.

All pretense was dropped at the sight of a stag trying to growl. Everyone broke out in laughter, save Wormtail who was still clamped in Heket's talons, shrieking for help.

"Let's go rest under the trees." The cat suggested once she had regained her composure. "We're in plain sight of the castle right now."

The wolf turned his shining green eyes to the stone walls of the castle warily, and then towards the Forest. He nodded emphatically. "Yes, let's do." And he cantered off towards the woods.

All the rest followed in suit. Padfoot was still sniggering under his breath as they went. "Only you, Prongs. Why do we put up with you?" which sent a new wave of laughter through the group.

"I'm so fun!" He countered, tossing his head proudly.

"You're something." The wolf muttered.

"Quiet you... or I'll make Moony kabobs out of you." The stag threatened, poking him in the shoulder with his antlers.

"Yum." Satsa mused.

A maple with low branches stood a few paces into the Forest and was a usual resting-place for the gang. As they were all lying down in the shadows, Heket dropped Wormtail unceremoniously in their midst. Once rid of her burden, the falcon banked hard to her right and took up a perch in the maple branches. The rat scampered back up into Prongs' antlers, his tiny ribcage heaving.

"I don't mean to be a bummer, boys," Satsa said, as she licked a paw. "But I hope we can get in at a semi-descent hour. I don't want to fall asleep in Defense against the Dark Arts."

"As if that's any different from usual." Padfoot sneered, "And don't you dare argue. I sit next to you."

"And yet I still manage to pull better marks than you." Satsa mused in a delicate voice.

"But Padfoot is right." Wormtail squeaked. "You do fall asleep in-"

Satsa put her paw down and sighed. "I do not want to deal with you,  
Wormtail."

"May I?" A voice nearly as sultry as Satsobek's and twice as eerie drifted down from the maple branches.

Everyone looked up at Heket.

"Certainly." Satsa replied, smoothly.

"Satsa? Satsa! No! You promised! And she's already tried to eat me already" Wormtail was babbling in a high pitched voice as the falcon fluttered down from her perch. "Prongs, you're... you're gonna protect me from that thing aren't you? Aren't you?"

The stag smirked. "Nope." And with that, he flung the rat out in the middle of the circle where Heket was waiting.

Wormtail skittered backwards away from the raptor as she advanced, trying to take up refuge by the wolf, who nipped at his tail sending him tumbling back out to the middle of the circle.

"Ten Knuts on the bird!" Padfoot shouted, giving his shaggy head a good shake.

"You're on!" Moony retorted. "I think Wormtail can pull it out."

Wormtail tried to smile in appreciation but he found himself quite paralyzed at the sight of Heket beginning to circle him, her menacing eyes latched onto him like grappling hooks. She mock charged him twice before she leapt off the ground and dove at him. Wormtail eluded her talons by a fraction of an inch as he scampered back into the relative safety of the stag's antlers.

"And the falcon takes all!" Padfoot cheered. "Pay up, Moony!"

"Yeah yeah." He muttered, watching Heket soar back up into her perch.

The group of oddly assorted animals talked for hours, losing any and all track of the time. Soon, always too soon for Moony, the gray light of dawn began to light the eastern horizon signaling the end of their monthly adventure. They all stood, knowing they had stayed out later than they should, and began to head back towards the Whomping Willow, stretching and yawning as they went. As they passed out from under the shadows of the trees, Padfoot noticed that the cat hadn't followed them. He turned, pricking his ears up. Satsa was still sitting under the maple tree, staring up into the branches.

"Satsa? What is it?" He called, cantering back towards her.

The feline didn't show any sign of hearing him.

"Satsa?" Sirius said, a little more quietly as he approached.

"Padfoot? What is it?" Prongs called out to him.

"She's gone." Satsa breathed, never moving her gaze.

"What? Who's g-" Padfoot suddenly had the presence of mind to look up at the tree. Heket's perch was empty. In her stead, there was a slip of parchment and a cruelly ironic feather.


	11. A Second Set of Eyes

A/N: Can we say cliff-hanger children? Sorry about that... sometimes I can't help myself. And herein the plot thickens... hope you enjoy!

Chapter 11: A Second Set of Eyes

"Heket! Heket!" The cat began to wail as she attempted to climb the maple tree, but tremors of panic prevented her from ever getting her hind quarters off the ground. "Heket! Love, where are you?" She still called to her bird as though she were only hiding.

"What is it?" Moony called as he and Prongs galloped back to them. "What's happened?"

"Heket's gone." Padfoot said shortly as he tried to pacify the cat but to no avail.

"Gone?" Wormtail squeaked. "What do you mean-"

"He means stolen." Prongs snapped. Then he had spied the letter nestled in the fork of a branch. "Wormtail go get that letter. And be careful. I could be rigged or something." His last sentence made the rat hesitate before bounding up into the tree.

"And then let's get back." Moony said in a low voice.

"Are you sure?" Padfoot asked, looking up from the cat who was now still as a statue, staring up at the tree.

"There's a bird napper on the loose and of what sort we can't be sure." He replied, more harshly than he had intended to. "You'll be safer in the castle and I'll be safer in the Shrieking Shack. It's almost dawn anyway."

"He's right." Prongs agreed, as Wormtail jumped from the lowest branch back down into his antlers, the letter clamped in his tiny teeth. "Who ever took Heket might be after-"

"We don't know that for sure yet, Prongs." Padfoot said gently. He knew the last thing Satsobek needed to think right now was that the someone who was after her might be nearby. "Let's get inside first. Come on Satsa... we'll find her." He gave the cat a little nudge with his snout, and they all sprinted for the Willow.

Once they were all down the passage, Moony bid them farewell and ran for the Shrieking Shack. Prongs pushed the door closed behind him with a hoof before he changed. The other three followed in suit until they were all very much human.

"Here Satsa." Peter handed the envelope to her.

She took it rather shakily and mouthed "Thank you." She didn't trust her voice to stay steady.

"You want the cloak or the map, Sirius?" James asked, lifting a silvery cloak and a tattered piece of parchment from the passage floor.

"Cloak, if you'd be so kind." Sirius replied, as he placed a steadying arm around Satsa's quivering shoulders. "I'm going to walk her at least to the door to her common room."

James nodded, for once seeming rather serious and business like. He tossed his friend the silky cloak and then began to examine the map. "Everything's clear save for the Charms corridor. Filch is on the prowl. We'll be fine if we hurry. Come on Peter. See you in a bit, Sirius. Good night Satsa." He turned and headed up the passage with Peter tagging at his heels.

Once they were gone, Satsa gave up all pretense of strength. She sank to her knees, unable to hold herself up under the wave of fear and sorrow that washed over her. Sirius wasn't fast enough to catch her so instead he slipped down on his knees beside her. He cradled her to his chest letting her sob against him.

Satsobek shamelessly took a seat at the end of the Gryffindor common table the next morning, earning several disdainful glares and tactfully ignoring them. James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter all piled in the seats around her as she pulled the envelope from the sleeve of her robe. It was unopened.

"Why didn't you open it?" Peter asked as Sirius took the envelope from her and ripped it open.

Satsa silenced him with a glare.

Sirius unfolded the crisp piece of parchment inside the envelope and frowned.

"What is it?" Remus asked and James echoed him.

"A riddle. Listen." Your fowl friend's a fine one Yes that she be.

Who is it that has her?

Soon you will see.

Four clues you are given And you link them together And if you puzzle this right You'll have more than a feather.

The first clue is simple.

It's where life begins.

The next one is harder Rhymes with a decorative thing The next clue I hear by bequeath it to you And the last one will Be a surprise to you."

"A riddle." James sighed, resting his head on the table by his mug of pumpkin juice.

Remus however sat up a little straighter. He laced his fingers together as he frowned in thought. "So it's four syllables and you link them together to get the answer?" He asked.

Sirius nodded, looking the riddle over again. "Yeah, I think that's the idea."

"James, you got a piece of paper?" Remus asked, as he rummaged around in his bag for his ink and quill.

"My bag's up in the dorm." James said with a shrug.

Remus rolled his eyes as Peter piped up, "Here Remus!" And he shoved a piece of parchment at him.

Remus shoved the parchment and quill back at him and said. "Here, you write while we brainstorm."

"Alright." Peter answered as he unscrewed the cap of the inkbottle.

"Ok," Sirius huffed as he slid the riddle out to where everyone could see it. "I guess start at clue one."

James set his chin in one hand and squinted at the parchment through his glasses. "Where life begins." He muttered.

"The womb?" Remus suggested.

"I guess." Sirius shrugged, and everyone shrugged with him.

"An egg?" James offered.

"That works too." Satsa said rather bleakly as she knit her hands in the roots of her hair.

"Peter, write those down." James told their impromptu secretary who promptly scribbled down the words.

"Any other ideas?" Remus asked. Silence answered him. "On to number two then."

"Rhymes with a decorative thing." Sirius quoted.

There was a long silence as everyone contemplated the new puzzle.

"It's your bird, alley cat." Sirius said, elbowing Satsa in the ribs making her grin and elbow him back. "You come up with something."

Satsa huffed a sigh and repeated the line of the poem a couple of times to herself before coming up with a suggestion. "Um... what about a ring?" She offered. "It would be easy enough to rhyme with."

The boys nodded in agreement.

"Ok let's go with that." Remus said. "What rhymes with 'Ring?'"

They began to rattle off words like "Ping" and "Sing" and "King" with Peter frantically scribbling them down in his chicken scratch penmanship. When they had run out of ideas, they moved on to the next clue.

"I hear by bequeath it to you?" James recited, with a frown of confusion. "Bequeath us what, exactly?"

Remus frowned as well. "Well what do you bequeath in?" He asked. "A will, right? What if that's the answer?"

"Anyone got a better idea?" Sirius asked and everyone shook their heads. "Write that down then, Peter."

"Ok last one." Remus said, turning the parchment towards him and read the last two lines aloud.

"A surprise... What does that mean?" Sirius muttered. "That makes even less sense than the one before."

"A sound of surprise perhaps." James suggested. "Like 'oh!'"

"We'll work with that for now." Sirius said.

"Alright lets see what we got." Satsa snatched the parchment from Peter. "We have 'womb' and 'egg' for the first clue. 'Ping,' 'sing,' and 'king,' for the second. 'Will' for the third and 'oh' for the fourth. What can you make out of that?"

Satsa and the four boys began to sound out nonsense words from the syllables, occasionally writing down possible combinations.

"Egg-bring will oh... Egg-king will- low... no that's ridiculous." Satsa muttered. "womb- king... womb-ping will-oh..."

Remus suddenly sat up straight. "Say that again, Satsa."

"What?" She asked, snapping from her pondering. "Repeat what?"

"The last one you said." He answered. "It sounded like something."

She thought for a moment before she spoke. "Womb-ping Will- oh." She repeated deliberately.

"Womb-ping Will- oh." Remus echoed. "Wombping Willoh... womping... Whomping... Whomping Willow... Whomping Willow!" he shouted gaining a few stares from their neighbors at the table.

A smile blossomed on Satsa's lovely face. "Excellent!" She said, clapping her hands together excitedly.

Sirius leaned into the center of the table and lowered his voice. "We'll head out to the Willow after the Hogsmeade trip next month. It's the full moon plus with all the Halloween pranks going on, any security efforts will most likely be inside the castle. Then we'll find out where Heket is, who has her, and most importantly, why they took her. Agreed?"

"Agreed." Came the unanimous answer.


	12. I Had To Lose Everything To Find Out

A/N: I'm sick with the flu... so sorry if this takes awhile to get out and if it has any big mistakes in it. I've been hopped up on cold meds for the majority of the time I was editing this. Please read and review! I thrive on feedback!

Disclaimer: The title is a line from a song by Rascal Flatts.

That said, away we go!

Chapter 12: I Had to Lose Everything to Find Out

For the students, the month of October seemed to drag on for a dreary and rainy eternity and the Hogsmeade trip, they thought, would never get there. Satsa, however, wasn't particularly looking forward to it. Right now, she was just trying to make it out of this school year in one piece. Her sister was dead and Heket was bird-napped. Someone clearly didn't like the fact that she was alive, either that, or they were trying to get to her and were clearing out everyone in their path first. Neither seemed pleasant.

Despite the fact that her only sentry had been made off with, Satsobek opted to make the journey to Hogsmeade. She wandered through the streets of the village, pulling her cloak tight around her in a vain attempt at keeping out the blustery wind. Granted, it wasn't as cold as it would have been at Durmstrang this time of year and she was thankful for that, but the skin on her face was beginning to feel a bit numb.

She spied a tavern christened "The Three Broomsticks" by the sign over the door, from which all sorts of savory smells drifted out onto the streets. It looked like a respectable sort of place, somewhere where she might be able to get a mug of hot chocolate and mull over her thoughts.

She entered the tavern as quietly as possible and slid into a booth in the corner hoping no one would notice her, much less want to join her. She ordered their largest size of hot cocoa they had and when it came she began to reflect on all that was on her mind as she stirred the whipped cream into the cocoa.

The first thought to enter her mind was what had been bothering her all month long. She was unguarded. Heket wasn't merely a friend but a sentry of sorts. Heket knew everything that there was to know about the murder of Satsobek's mother and was always on the lookout for those who posed a threat to her mistress. Satsa needed Heket now more than ever and she was gone.

She knew why, though she hated to admit it. Voldemort was her father and someone who didn't need to know that knew it. Possibly those men in the burgandy robes? After all, Heket had said that they were the ones that had murdered Satsa's mother. Perhaps they were trying to assassinate everyone close to the Dark Lord. The concept seemed so foreign to her... why would someone want to kill her? She had never even met her father and since he was Muggle-born she wouldn't have anything to do with him. Somehow, while she knew the threat was very real, she wasn't afraid.

What she was afraid of was Lucius Malfoy. There was no getting around it. Surely a few kisses weren't all that he had up his sleeve. The look in his eyes that night after dinner testified to that. The kisses weren't what scared her. It was that she wasn't in control and he was. She had played around with boys before at Durmstrang but none of them made her weak in the knees like he did. She had always been in perfect control of her emotions as she played her little games but nowS now it was different. And to complicate things even more, she was a Mudblood. Lucius hated them with more passion than she had ever witnessed. What if he found out? All of Slytherin would know in a matter of moments. They were already suspicious of her because she caroused with Gryffindors.

And of speaking of Gryffindors, there was Sirius. She wasn't sure if she wanted to let her mind go there and fortunately she didn't get the chance.

"Excuse me." An oily voice broke into Satsobek's thoughts. She looked up to find Severus Snape standing by her table.

Satsa managed to force a smile on her face. "Hello Severus. How are you" She said with an air of false serenity.

"I'm just lovely, Satsobek." He answered, carefully. "But since you are alone in this corner, apparently brooding about something, I need not ask how you are faring. Something is bothering you and don't you dare tell me otherwise."

Satsa blinked a few times out of surprise. "Well, I won't lie to you, Severus." She said, delicately. "I do have a fair bit on my mind."

A smile pulled at the corner of Snape's mouth. "Don't suppose you could use an ear to bend could you?"

She gave a rough snort of amusement. "Prepare to have your ear bent off" She said, gesturing to the seat across from her.

Satsa must have rattled on for hours, about nothing in general. After all, what could she tell him? That she was a half breed? His hatred of Mudbloods was comparable to Lucius'. That she was becoming twitterpated about Sirius? They quite obviously hated each other. That Heket was gone? She could only tell him about the theft of her bird when she wrapped the story in half truths. So all she could really do was prattle aimlessly and all Severus did was listen politely and ask questions when she lost him. Only when she had seemed to have run out of words did he give his opinion.

"Well, Satsobek," He said with a small smile, "I haven't much advice for you. What's more, I don't know that you need any. At least not from me."

"Oh come on, Severus!" She almost sounded as though she was pleading with him. "Tell me something. I've been jabbering to you all afternoon!"

Snape snickered through his hooked nose, as he took her hand from where it lay on the table. "Satsobek, the only advice I can offer is that which I have tried myself. Just let whatever will happen, happen."

For some reason, hearing those words made Satsa feel relieved. "Thank you, Severus."

At that moment, Madam Rosemerta brought Satsa her check. She went to take it from her, but Severus' hand was there before hers and before she could protest, he had pulled a few Knuts from the pocket of his robe and laid them on the table.

"Severus you don't have to. If anything I owe you a mug of hot cocoa." Satsa told him with an appreciative smile.

"I may take you up on that, then." Severus replied. "Come, Satsobek. Let's go outside."


	13. I Can Almost Smell the Roses

A/N: WOO! I'm finally getting over the nasty crud I had, hence why this chapter is a bit late. Don't know what there is to say really so aside from the fact that the chapter title is from a George Jones song. Please review and let me know how I'm doing! And now... on with the show!

Chapter 16: I Can Almost Smell the Roses

As soon as Satsobek and Severus had exited The Three Broomsticks, a sick look crossed Severus' sallow face. He had spied James and Sirius coming down the street towards them with bags in each hand.

"I think I'm going to head back to the castle, Satsobek." He said, just loud enough to be heard over the wind. She turned to face him as he gave his excuse. "I told the Headmistress that I would help decorate the Great Hall for Halloween."

"Alright then." She said with a pleasant smile that she hoped would cover the fact that she knew why he wasn't sticking around. "I'll see you tonight then?"

He nodded. "Shall I save a seat for you?"

"That would be lovely." She replied. "Have a good afternoon." She wiggled her fingers in a cute wave.

"Same to you." He turned on his heels and walked briskly back to the castle.

"Oi! Satsa!" She heard Sirius call from behind her.

She turned into the biting wind and waved to the boys with one hand as she held her cloak tight around her throat with the other. "Where have you two been?" She asked when they got within hearing range.

"Everywhere!" James said, excitedly. "Honeydukes and Zonko's and... where else Sirius?" He asked his friend thoughtfully.

"Well, we spent the most time in those two shops and- uh oh..." Sirius' face suddenly looked concerned. His pale eyes were looking at someone over Satsobek's left shoulder. "Hey Prongs. Flower child at two o'clock."

"You're kidding." He said, sounding rather disbelieving, as he scanned the street behind Satsa who turned to look as well. "Merlin's beard you're not! I would have figured she would be in the common room studying her cute little ass off for the Potions test tomorrow."

Sirius snickered. "Even she has to get out every once in awhile."

"Who are you talking about?" Satsobek asked, still searching the street for the subject of James' and Sirius' obvious amusement.

"See the red-head?" Sirius pointed to a group of Gryffindor girls standing by a tiny trinket shop.

Satsobek spied and asked. "Yes, who is she?"

"She is Lily Evans." James announced with a sort of wistfulness in his hazel eyes. "My girlfriend."

Sirius gave a raw snort of amusement, making a cloud of steam puff out of his nose into the cold air. "You wish, James."

"Fine... She WILL be my girlfriend." He consented.

"Yeah, when hell freezes over." Sirius said with a twist of his mouth.

"Well, with the way things are feeling right now, I would say that your statement isn't far from the truth." He said, rubbing his arms. "So I'm going to go try my luck." Before Sirius could stop him, he was jogging off towards the knot of girls around Lily.

Sirius shook his head. "Hopeless..." he muttered.

"Hope springs eternal, or something like that." Satsa said with a shrug. "So what did you buy?" She asked as she peered into his shopping bags

"Well, I got some..." He started rummaging around in his bags occasionally producing a package of candy. "Fizzing Whizbies... and some Ice Mice. I love those. And... um... this is for you." He pulled a long-stemmed rose from his bags.

She gasped as she took it from him. At first, Satsa thought that it was made of glass but the tag said it was from Honeydukes, which meant that it could only be made of one thing. Spun sugar. "Its beautiful, Sirius! What may I ask is the occasion?"

"I didn't know I needed one." He answered with a slightly relieved smile.

As much to her own surprise as to his, she flung herself on him in a grateful hug. "Thank you, Sirius." She whispered, before she released him.

There was a moment of awkward silence as Satsobek twirled the crystalline rose in her fingers, admiring its delicate beauty. She was about to ask Sirius what his plans for the rest of the afternoon were, when she felt someone's hands on her shoulders. A familiar spicy smell filled the cold air. It was a smell Satsobek recognized as none other than the cologne of Lucius Malfoy.

Sirius' eyes widened slightly and then narrowed in contempt as Lucius pressed his mouth into Satsobek's hair near her ear. At first he jealously thought that Lucius was kissing her, but after a second he realized he was telling her something. He couldn't hear what though, as his words were lost in Satsobek's tresses and the howling wind. He knew however that whatever he said, it wasn't good news to Satsa. Her onyx eyes were wide and unseeing and she was swallowing in an almost convulsive manner.

After a moment, Lucius released her and strode away almost as quickly as he had come.

"What was that all about?" Sirius asked with a rather disapproving frown.

"It was nothing." She said, smoothing her hair. "He needs to talk to me about something so I'd better go catch up to him. I'll talk to you later ok?"

Sirius nodded looking rather strained. "I'll see you tonight for sure."

She smiled at him. "Alright." She said and turned to go but then turned back. "Oh and Sirius?"

"Yes, darling?" He replied, fighting for all he was worth to sound casual.

"Thank you." She held up the rose he had given her.

He couldn't help but smile at her. "You're welcome." He replied simply before they parted ways.

Sirius hadn't been able to hear what Lucius had said but Satsa sure as all hell knew without mistake.

"Follow me, love." He had breathed into her ear. "I have a proposition for you."


	14. Are You the Now or Never Kind

A/N: Cliffhanger wasn't that? So sorry... not. I'm feeling much better from having had the creeping crud so chappies should come a little faster now. The title of this chappie is from an Eve 6 song. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 17: Are You the Now or Never Kind

Satsobek followed Lucius around to the alley between The Three Broomsticks and Honeydukes. "So what did I do now?" She shouted after him, hoping she sounded a bit teasing or challenging.

As soon as Satsa rounded the corner into the alley, Lucius pinned her back against the side wall of the tavern. "It's more like what you're not going to do." He whispered, glancing around to make sure no one had followed them.

"You said you had a proposition for me." She said rather mildly as she swallowed her pulse. She suddenly didn't feel cold anymore.

Lucius turned his sensual gray eyes on her and smirked. "Indeed I do, love" He replied, leaning a little closer to her. She caught another whiff of his rather exotic cologne and it made her heart flutter. "Would you like the chance to really prove that you want to play your little game with me?"

Satsa only nodded, finding herself unable to speak.

His smirk grew and his eyes sparkled. "Then here's the deal." He said, leaning even closer and lowering his voice to a husky whisper. His breath felt warm on her cool skin. "There is a study session in the Astronomy Tower tonight. If you really think you can handle me, come to the session and we'll see if you're everything you act or if you're all puff and shadowboxing."

Satsobek summoned her sexiest smile. "Oh I'm everything I show and more. I assure you of that." She told him coolly, much too coolly for the way she was feeling right now.

"We'll see." Lucius sneered. He gave her a brief kiss on the cheek before turning and striding out of the alley.

Satsa felt as though she could just scream. She leaned against the wall panting from a mixture of exhilaration surprise and fear. Most of all she felt fear. What did he have planned tongiht? Regardless, she had to go. Her reputation was more at stake now than ever. She just wished she had been given more warning. A gust of freezing wind blustered up the alley making her shiver. It was probably time that she started back to the castle. She was having dinner with Severus and then gods knew what with Lucius after that and she wanted to look good enough to eat for both of them.

She stepped back out onto the street and headed towards the edge of the village, hoping to avoid seeing Sirius. She didn't think she could face him now but sure enough, there he came up the road. He waved to her and jogged up to meet her.

"'lo Sirius." She greeted softly.

"Hello, Satsa." He returned with a slightly forced smile. "What did Malfoy want?"

"Oh, there's an Astronomy study tonight after the feast." She answered as they began to trek back to the castle.

"So I guess that means you won't be coming with us tonight." He said sounding disappointed.

Satsobek suddenly felt as if she had swallowed a chunk of frozen metal. "Oh shit." She snarled, running a hand roughly through her hair. "I completely forgot."

"Easy, Satsa. No worries." He told her, touching her shoulder. "I actually thought it best if you didn't come anyway. It might be a trap."

Satsobek nodded rather guiltily. "You're probably right." She conceded.

"We'll take care of it." He assured her.

On a whim, Satsa raised on tiptoe and kissed Sirius on the cheek. "Thank you, Sirius." She said sweetly.

Sirius blushed and smiled. "You're welcome." He replied, touching two fingers to his cheek.

The Great Hall had undergone a grand transformation for the Halloween feast. The floating white candles had been replaced with jack-o-lanterns and live bats fluttered about the rafters. Satsa smiled inwardly as she walked in. She was envisioning Heket darting about chasing them.

"Satsobek!" She wheeled around when someone called her name and found Severus was striding towards her. "Come, darling. I've saved seats for us" He led her over to an empty space at the table and helped her get seated before sitting down himself.

Satsa spied Lucius sitting across the table from her and to her left a few seats. She caught his eye as she sat down and they exchanged knowingly sinister smiles. His gaze drifted down her shapely form, making Satsobek's insides twist. She gave her silky hair a toss and directed him with a flick of her hand to raise his eyes.

This passage between Lucius and Satsa went unnoticed by the rest of their housemates.

"How did you enjoy Hogsmeade, Satsobek?" Severus asked, as he served himself a spoonful of boiled potatoes.

Satsa pried her eyes away from Lucius as she answered. "Oh yes. It's a lovely little place." She replied rather absently, pouring herself some pumpkin juice. "How was your day there?"

"It was excellent." He answered, with a thin but warm smile. "It's so wonderful to get out of the castle for awhile."

"Indeed." she answered in a distant voice. Her dark eyes had wandered back to Lucius. She was busy planning her actions for this evening. Lucius was obviously very experienced and all but fearless. He thought she was as well.

"Something is still on your mind, Satsobek." Severus said, none to tactfully.

She smirked. "It's nothing, Severus." She lied, as she began to eat. She quickly cast her eyes around the Great Hall. "The decorations in here are just stunning, and thus a little distracting."

The clock chimes began to sound the hour of eight. Satsa's stomach surged. It didn't seem like an hour had passed. She saw Lucius rising from his seat along with a few other Slytherins and she followed in suit.

"Where are you running off to?" Severus asked, watching her sling her shoulder bag over her shoulder.

"Astronomy study." She replied. "Aren't you coming?"

He shook his head, throwing his greasy locks across his face. "No. I think I can afford to miss this one."

She smiled to mask her discomfort. "See you tomorrow then." She said as she turned to leave the Great Hall.

"Until tomorrow." He returned as he went back to his dinner.


End file.
